Obama Pushes Expansion of Overtime Pay

Saying he'll push to make sure America's economy "rewards hard work and responsibility," President Barack Obama on Thursday signed a presidential memorandum that could make millions more workers eligible to receive overtime pay.

"If you’re working hard, barely making ends meet, you should be paid overtime," Obama said during remarks at the White House. "Period."

The memorandum directs the Department of Labor to propose new rules concerning which workers are eligible for overtime. That includes workers whose jobs are classified as “executive or professional” roles but who have little supervisory authority -- like fast food managers -- who currently aren't required to be paid for overtime work.

Under current rules, salaried workers making more than $455 weekly aren’t required to receive overtime pay from employers.

The directive is part of a larger effort by the White House to promote "wages and paychecks that help to support a family," Obama said.

The president also supports raising the federal minimum wage to $10.10 per hour from $7.25, a proposal that Republicans and many business groups have vowed to fight.